I'm thinking over crossing over to online tyre shopping after the absolute best deal I could get from my "buddy" at my LBS for a Pro Race was $49 US !!!!!!! ($65 Aus)

i don't mind a couple extra bucks to support my lbs, but when pro race2's cost TWICE as much in the shop as on ebay, loyalty goes out the window. i get my Michelins on ebay for about 60$ a pair.

Careful, I've run into two situations with online motorcycle tires;

1. They were blems. No big deal, but it would be nice to know up front.

B. They were 6 years old.

Take it for what it's worth.

Az

Force/Attacks at the LBS = $120; Force/Attacks on Ebay = $60

I buy my Tufo's online from BikeTiresDirect.com. Seem to be pretty decent prices. None of the LBSs around here carry them so I pretty much have to. I use the C S 33 Specials and like them a lot.x I just bought another set, and not because they were worn out, I bought them in case I were to have a problem, I don't want to be without them for the week or so it would take for them to get here.

I bought my tires online from BikeTiresDirect.com. I received prompt service and cheap shipping. The tires appear to be in perfect condition. The only strange thing is that the directions and labels attached to the tires were in every language but English.

My local LBSs carry a limited selection of tires. I don't mind paying more, but if they have to order them, I figure I mind as well order them myself and save some bucks.

I've purchased tires from LBS, Performance Bike shop (~10 miles from home) and also online. Ordering online is by far cheaper than LBS (~40% less) and it only takes a couple of days to receive the goods. I will continue to order tires online unless I am in need of something quick or until LBS prices are within 20% of online prices. I like to support LBS but I don't want to be foolish (about money that is).

I've bought several sets from biketiresdirect.com - and since they are in the neighborhood, I save on the shipping as well. Good company.

ditto. plus, when you buy over $200, shipping's free. i just bought a bunch of stuff from them for a new bike build (tires included) and just had them ship it to me to save the drive

I bought some tyres for my car last week, and I told the guys at the shop that one of my bike tyres was 80 bucks, and that I'd be lucky to get 3000km out of it (rear).

they didn't believe me, then they laughed their heads off.

I'm lucky my shop is well priced. Well I think they are.
I paid 2520 yen each for my rubino pro's. ($29 Auatralian) Is that ok compared to OZ?
Steve.

Have to say never, I always have a couple spare and when I need to stock up again its a trip to the local bike shop - Harry Middletons in Ormskirk - gives me a chance to kill an hour or so looking at Colnagos and Dolans and thinking mmmmmmmm...... nice

I buy the majority of my tires online. My LBS is large and they carry quite a bit of tires, but generally they have to order what I want. I find their prices are about 20% more than online most on the time!

I can buy vittoria rubino's for $30NZ each online, or I can buy them for $50 at the LBS....the difference is, online they only stock 23c's, and I wanted 25c's, so I bought from the LBS.

yikes, I didn't think the poll would be so lopsided

yeah, that's pretty good

Tires are the one thing I buy mostly online. I'm a cheapskate and can't stand to pay much more than $30 per tire so, I shop and stock up online when someone's got something I like on sale. Plus, there's a lot of brands/models that are hard to get for the very reason that they are sold on line and the LBS doesn't want to stock a direct compete with online. Just about everything else I'll buy at the LBS though when I'm in Colorado on vacation, Performance, Excel, Schwabe and Colorado Cyclist get a personal visit (along with Wheat Ridge, Vecchio's, and a couple of others).

Another vote for biketiresdirect.com. Tires are the most expensive consumable and usually online beats the bike shop by a good margin. Other things, like chains, cassettes, etc, I'll buy at the LBS because the price difference isn't that much and i would save having to pay shipping.

I buy tires on line, as I do other gear. I also frequent my LBS as much as possible. We have a Bike Expo here in the Charlotte area once a year. Dealers, teams, vendors, and individuals pay a nominal cost for a table or two and present their wares. It costs a dollar or two to gain entry, but the deals are plentiful. This year I bought 9 Conti GP 3000 clinchers for 90 bucks.

Always online SCREW the lbs rubbish.

another biketiresdirect customer.

I have always bought them locally. Mostly because I figured shipping would be alot. I don't buy them by the dozen. I think I'll try biketiresdirect next time. The town where I live has an extra sales tax on top of the state's sales tax. Consequentially, I have decided to buy as little as possible locally.

I have no LBS, so must buy online. Usually buy from performancebike.com but next time will buy from probikekit.com in the UK -- high-end tires at very low prices, even with the shipping to the US.

Tire prices here vary a lot... for budget tires there's lots of good local selection in stores, suitable for winter/wet weather/training purposes.

Trying to find high-end road tires is a great way to shrink my wallet. One local shop has Michelin Pro2 Race hanging on the wall for $75 Canadian **per tire**, when a matched pair of the same tires is $49 US on ebay.

Yeah, that's about what they are here -- maybe a bit more!!!!!!